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Help because I don't want to bring her back! I actually refuse to bring her back there. Any suggestions?? Thanks in advance! Sent from Petguide.com Free App

There are many different training techniques on the market now. Each person is an individual and will have their own thoughts and feelings about how they want their dog trained. When they have a problem and can't find a way out, they might reach deeper into their tool box and pull out something that they normally wouldn't use, but will give it a try.

I have never used a prong. Never had a reason to. If I should find myself the need to, I'll use one. I just choose to use different techniques.

You need to find a trainer who better fits the way you want to train your dog. As suggested, audit a couple of classes. Watch how the trainer interacts with the dogs and the handlers. I've never used a trainer who didn't allow this. They may charge you a small fee, that is just to keep folks from sitting in classes for free and going home and training their own dogs. After all, the trainer has to make a living.

As of your experiance with using the pinch on your puppy. No harm done. You live and learn. Your pup will be fine.

Check out the schutzhund training. They beat the dogs with bamboo sticks.

Umm .. okay.

I would only use what you're comfortable using. If you're unhappy/uneasy with what went on .. why pay money for it?

02-26-2014 10:28 AM

Jlmaiorana

Honestly, I always thought training collars were cruel and abusive and when my breeder suggested to use prong collar when she gets to a certain age and showed it to me, it freaked me out and I though, "oh no way I'm using that on her." Now that I see how difficult it is to train a GSD (they will out smart you) I use choke collar and a special training collar that vibrates to get her attention. I don't believe it would be possible to train my dog to heel with a harness, treats and a clicker. Before my trainer showed me how to train her to heel with these collars, My shoulder was starting to hurt so bad from her pulling while walking her. I believe in positive training, but now also believe there must be correction also (but not punishment). I think if the collar is used properly, it can be a good thing. I also don't think the police and military train their dogs with just treats and clickers. Check out the schutzhund training. They beat the dogs with bamboo sticks.

02-26-2014 03:28 AM

middleofnowhere

To the OP:
I'm short cutting this thread and responding having read only the first page so forgive me if this has already been mentioned.
There are positive only trainers out there. Pat Miller writes a lot in Whole Dog Journal and my favorite book is by Sheila Booth: Pure Positive Training: Companion to Competition.
You don't need no stinkin' prong.

02-25-2014 11:30 PM

nicky

Oops...I read that too fast... lol

02-25-2014 11:30 PM

Baillif

No tool is necessary in dog training for that behavior. They are nice though. 5 months is fine to break out the prong. It sounds like tact was not used.

You can put a prong on an 8 week old puppy and not have issues if you are tactful and know what you are doing. You don't need to get a puppy yelping to get what you want out of them and you don't need to suppress them any.

What I'm saying is a 5 month old puppy should be pretty willing and biddable at that age, so it's not a necessary tool. If the OP doesn't want to use it, it's not an appropriate age for a trainer to just throw one on.

02-25-2014 11:27 PM

Baillif

It's good to see those mistakes too because everyone pretty much makes the exact same ones.

Unless you are having behavioral issues, there is no reason you can't train your own dog. It may take longer, and you may have some stumbles along the way, but every minute you spend training is quality time for you and the dog.

I suggest you invest in the first Michael Ellis DVD, The Power of Training with Food. Pretty much everything you need to marker train your dog in basic OB is on that DVD.

There are plenty of books on the subject as well. I personally like the videos because I am a visual learner, and you get to see others make the same mistakes you may make.

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